Gulf Coast High band one of 10 marching in 2015 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

The Gulf Coast Marching Band is surprisingly invited to the Macy's Day Parade 2015.

Corey Perrine

Marching band students and color guard erupt as they learn of happy news Friday, May 9, 2014 at Gulf Coast High School's band room. About 300 marching band, color guard and dance line student members were surprised from Macy's Day Parade officials that they were selected to perform during the 2015 Thanksgiving Day event in New York City. (Corey Perrine/Staff)

Wesley Whatley, left, creative director of the Macy's Day Parade, applauds students Friday, May 9, 2014 at Gulf Coast High School's band room. About 300 marching band, color guard and dance line student members were surprised from Macy's Day Parade officials that they were one of the top high school bands in the country selected for the storied 2015 Thanksgiving Day event in New York City. (Corey Perrine/Staff)

They not only know how to throw a parade, they know how to keep a secret — and build suspense.

About 300 band students gathered at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Gulf Coast High School's band room, with no idea they would soon be able to brag that they're going to New York to play in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Looking around at Collier County School District top officials and reporters and photographers from several news agencies, they knew something was up, but what was the big announcement?

"I thought we were going to meet the new band director, honestly," said tuba-playing sophomore Alyssa Irizarry.

It was a good guess. Band director Steve DeLadurantey has announced he will be leaving the school at the end of the year, but he had one final trick up his sleeve.

Once the students settled in, without giving his title, Wesley Whatley, creative director for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, told the anxious crowd he'd been traveling all over the country to share special news with outstanding musicians. Students exchanged glances, mostly in confusion.

Then he alluded to where he and his colleagues were from — a really large city on the East Coast. They started to get it, one by one.

Then Whatley delivered: The Gulf Coast High School marching band earned one of just 10 coveted marching band spots in the 2015 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. They beat out more than 160 other schools from across the country for the honor.

Superintendent Kamela Patton congratulated the group, adding that all the students together made such an accomplishment possible.

"You know how hard it is to keep a Christmas gift or a birthday gift quiet? This is harder than any time in my whole life of keeping a gift," she said.

The students will perform live in front of an estimated crowd of 3.5 million along the New York City parade route. An estimated 50 million viewers will watch the parade on television, organizers said.

DeLadurantey said achieving something like an invitation to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an important milestone he's happy to have reached before he leaves the school.

"It really is bittersweet for me. But I really don't want to talk about that, the focus should be on the students," he said.

Because the big day is about 18 months away, some of the students in attendance — most of today's juniors and seniors — won't be able to participate as they will have graduated.

"You're part of the legacy that is this invitation," Whatley said.

Junior Zach Peiffer agreed. Although they helped DeLadurantey put together an extensive application for the Macy's Parade last fall, it was out of everyone's minds.

"It still feels good because I was part of this," Peiffer said.

After the magnitude of the surprise set in, the students each were presented with small canisters full of confetti. In Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tradition, the students were told to recite: "Let's have a parade," before setting off their canisters, to another roar of applause.

If the colorful mess is anything to go on, it's a celebration the students won't soon forget.